Fire-ant Attack Lands Award

The State - In Brief

BRADENTON -- A jury has awarded $1.2 million to a 93-year-old Bradenton woman who was stung by fire ants in her nursing home bed two years ago -- but it's unlikely she will ever see a penny.

Pearl Smith was attacked at the Surrey Place nursing home in April 2002. Photos of the then 90-year-old woman showed her arm, neck, back and upper torso covered in blisters from the stings.

Smith's attorney, Michael Kohl, said his client will not likely collect the jury award because the company, Consulting Management and Education Inc., was without liability insurance, and its debts exceed assets.

The company was not represented by attorneys at Thursday's hearing.

Jon Clarke, a Denver bankruptcy attorney who advised the company two years ago, said the company was no longer in business and owes millions of dollars of uncollected judgments to numerous people.

Surrey Place is now under new management.

In 2000, an 87-year-old woman died after being stung more than 1,600 times by fire ants in a North Port nursing home.